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Alpine Adventure & Glacier Express by Cosmos from $1220

If you've never taken a package vacation, consider this: Traveling with Cosmos is less expensive, more comfortable, and far easier than going it alone. You travel hassle-free, knowing that we've taken care of all the details.

Once you've discovered the special advantages of Cosmos, you'll never want to travel any other way again.

Regional Discoveries If you want to focus on one specific country or region, this in-depth package is an excellent choice. Our expert Tour Directors help you learn what you want to know so you come away with an area's distinct flavor and history.

Your Travel Package Includes:

SIGHTSEEING: Visits to Linderhof Castle, Innsbruck, Liechtenstein, Lucerne, Interlaken, Berne, Geneva, Zermatt, Lugano, Cortina

Scenic highlights: Ammergau Alps, Inn Valley, Swiss Alps, Wachau region
GUIDES: Local guides for city sightseeing in Chillon Castle, Venice, Salzburg; services of a professional tour director

TRANSPORTATION: Scheduled transatlantic flights and airport transfers in Munich if Cosmos issues the tickets

The Glacier Express Train; Mountain Train Täsch-Zermatt; canal transfer boat in Venice
HOTELS: Listed or equivalent. Rooms with private bath or shower, hotel taxes, porterage, tips, and service charges

MEALS: 10 buffet breakfasts (B); 5 dinners (D)

OPTIONALS: Choice of optional excursions at reasonable prices to customize your own experience.


Detailed Itinerary

Day 1, Thu. BOARD YOUR OVERNIGHT TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT.

Day 2, Fri. ARRIVAL IN MUNICH AREA, GERMANY. Check into your hotel. Tonight meet your tour director and fellow travelers.

Day 3, Sat. MUNICH AREA-INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA. Quite a fascinating itinerary today. Drive south for a stop to visit Linderhof Castle, set deep in a valley in the forest of the Ammergau Alps. A unique setting of a rococo palace surrounded by gardens and terraces in Italian Renaissance style and located in a park landscaped in the English fashion! Journey into Austria and by way of the scenic Inn Valley reach Innsbruck to visit its famous Golden Roof. (B,D)

Day 4, Sun. INNSBRUCK-LIECHTENSTEIN, LAKE LUCERNE, SWITZERLAND. More glorious Alpine scenery as you motor westwards through the Tyrol to the Arlberg Tunnel and down into the Voralberg to reach Vaduz the capital of the tiny but wealthy principality of Liechtenstein. Now into Switzerland to the shores of lovely Lake Lucerne. One of Switzerland’s finest cities nestled amid its snow-capped Alps, surrounded by its lake, and embellished by the clear mountain waters of the River Reuss. Your sightseeing takes in the impressive city walls, a covered wooden bridge, ornate patrician houses lining cobblestone streets and the Lion Monument — a masterful stone sculpture in honor of the heroic Swiss Guard of Louis XVI. Overnight in the Lucerne area. (B)

Day 5, Mon. LAKE LUCERNE-INTERLAKEN-BERNE-GENEVA AREA. A day packed with a variety of scenery and places to visit. First to Interlaken, a holiday maker’s dream. It’s all picture postcard, lying beneath the towering Jungfrau and between two sparkling lakes. Motor along the shores of Lake Thun then on to Switzerland’s beautiful capital, Berne, a charming town with arcaded shops, carved fountains, and towers. Included sightseeing features the Bear Pit and the monumental Federal Palace. Onto the Geneva area for overnight. (B,D)

Day 6, Tue. GENEVA AREA-CHILLON CASTLE-ZERMATT. First today the included Geneva sightseeing tour which takes in the famous lake fountain, the Palace of Nations and the Reformation Monument. The next stop is to visit Chillon Castle of Byron fame, located on a rocky islet within sight of Montreux and the Dents du Midi. More Alpine scenery on the way to the typical Swiss village of Täsch for the alpine train ride to Zermatt. (B,D)

Day 7, Wed. ZERMATT. A whole day to enjoy one of Switzerland’s best-known winter and summer resorts. There’s a variety of shops, cafés, and bars, and the narrow streets are traffic-free. Later enjoy the optional ride on Europe’s highest rack railway to 10,272-foot Gornergrat for breathtaking views of the Alps. (B)

Day 8, Thu. ZERMATT-GLACIER EXPRESS-ANDERMATT-LUGANO. Today you’ll experience the highlight of this tour, the Glacier Express. This is Switzerland’s most famous mountain railway, which journeys over hundreds of bridges and through dozens of tunnels to give unique panoramic view of the Swiss Alps and surrounding valleys, mountain forests, Alpine meadows, rushing streams and picture-postcard villages. You board the train in Täsch and leave it in Andermatt in the St. Gotthard massif, 4,711 feet above sea level. Rejoin your coach for the descent of the St. Gotthard into the quite different landscape of the Canton Ticino for an afternoon arrival in Lugano. (B,D)

Day 9, Fri. LUGANO-VENICE AREA, ITALY. Through the flat farmlands of the Po Valley for an afternoon arrival in Venice. It’s really more like a marvelous film set than a real live city, with its criss-crossing canals, gondolas and water buses, arched bridges, palaces and quiet little piazzas. The included tour starts with a canal boat ride and is followed by a visit to St. Mark’s Basilica and a chance to watch Venetian glass blowers fashion their delicate objects as they did centuries ago. Don’t miss the optional gondola trip, gliding along the picturesque canals with a local troubadour to serenade you. (B,D)

Day 10, Sat. VENICE AREA-DOLOMITES-SALZBURG, AUSTRIA. Today leave the flat and fertile plains of Venetia and journey into the splendid scenery of the Dolomites, making a stop in the famous winter resort of Cortina. In the afternoon, cross into Austria and ascend the road over the Grossglockner, a stop to admire the surrounding Alpine scenery will be made during this part of the journey. Next to Salzburg for overnight. (B)

Day 11, SUN. SALZBURG AREA-MUNICH AREA. Don’t miss out on the included city sightseeing excursion with a local guide. You’ll be taken through the historic center of Mozart’s hometown to see its many highlights including the Domplatz, the Horse Trough, Festival Hall, and, of course, the charming Getreidegasse where Mozart was born. This afternoon motor directly to Munich. This evening join the optional Bavarian evening. (B)

Day 12, Mon. YOUR HOMEBOUND FLIGHT ARRIVES THE SAME DAY. (B)



 

 

 

Weekly departures from 05/04/2006 to 10/12/2006. Call or email for pricing, availability and additional information.

 
Accomodations

MUNICH AREA NH (Superior Tourist Class) at Schweig

INNSBRUCK Dollinger (Superior Tourist Class)

LAKE LUCERNE Pilatusblick (Superior Tourist Class) at Kriens

GENEVA AREA Chavenne de Bogis (Superior Tourist Class) at Chavanne

ZERMATT Tschugge (First Class)

LUGANO Cassarate Lago (Superior Tourist Class)

VENICE AREA Holiday (Superior Tourist Class) at Favaro Veneto

SALZBURG AREA Schmidbauer (Tourist Class) at Schweighofen

MUNICH Econtel (Superior Tourist Class)